FOREIGN MINISTER VIGENIN AFTER THE NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEETING

In the BNT morning programme ‘The Day Begins’ on 3rd April, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristiyan Vigenin commented the outcome of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting that took place on 1st April in Brussels. 28 nations’ top diplomats gathered for the first time since Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The minister said that the meeting of NATO foreign ministers agreed to suspend military co-operation with Russia.

Vigenin said that NATO would freeze the practical cooperation, which was carried out within various partnership formats between NATO and the Russian Federation. The minister outlined that the political dialogue in the NATO-Russia Council could continue, as necessary, at Ambassadorial level and above.

Vigenin added that the maintenance of the Russian military equipment, used by Bulgarian military forces, would not be discontinued. He explained that this type of cooperation was not at risk and at this stage at least there was no threat for it. Minister Vigenin assured that the Bulgarian army should not have any concerns because the political decision of the NATO foreign ministers at the latest meeting would not harm its fighting efficiency.

“We are not heading towards any kind of clash, not at all a military clash with Russia”, Vigenin remarked. He explained that what NATO does in practical aspect is to strengthen the measures, which will guarantee the security of the Eastern European countries - mostly the Baltic states and Poland, but based on their own assessment whether there are increased risks for the national security.

Vigenin said that at this stage there were no increased risks for Bulgaria’s security from Russia. He confirmed that there were Russian intelligence-gathering aircrafts flying close to the Bulgarian borders, but they did not enter Bulgaria’s air space. He added that because those aircrafts were flying too close to the Bulgarian borders, NATO, respectively the Bulgarian army took actions in response. But such actions exhaust Bulgaria’s flying resource.

Vigenin said that there was a  serious consequence: Bulgaria very soon has to make its decision as regards how it is going to organize its air forces from now on. The decision so far, or the dilemma so far, has been whether to modernize the existing aircrafts or to purchase new type of aircrafts.

According to Vigenin, the current situation, which is unlikely to change drastically in the next months or in the mid–term, requires Bulgaria to make that decision quickly. In his opinion, it would be better for the country to buy new type of fighter aircrafts because otherwise the Bulgarian army would continue to be dependent on Russia’s technical maintenance.